Kailey Lawless, Governor Civic Leadership Award Recipient

Kailey Lawless was awarded the Governor Civic Leadership Award in 2025. In this video, Kailey discusses her struggles with homelessness and addition to becoming a student leader and advocate in social work.

SSWCJ Students recognized in the Husky 100

Each year, the Husky 100 recognizes 100 undergraduate and graduate students from the UW Bothell, Seattle and Tacoma campuses in all areas of study who are making the most of their time at the UW. The Husky 100 actively connect what happens inside and outside of the classroom and apply what they learn to make a difference on campus, in their communities and for the future. Through their passion, leadership and commitment, these students inspire all of us to shape our own Husky Experience.

Maria Escalera Maldanado

Master of Social Work (MSW)

Since I started graduate school in 2021, I have held many different roles: a wife, a mother to my eight-year-old, a caregiver to my elderly mother and a student who also works a full-time job. As a bicultural BIPOC woman, I have traversed these responsibilities within and alongside the Latino community. I know that my success as a Husky is innately integrated to the promotion of equity and social justice in the underserved and immigrant communities that I have found both within and beyond the campus community. As a first-generation college student and the daughter of an immigrant mother from Mexico, equity is deeply important to me, and social justice has always been at the heart of who I am.

Jannat Musawi

B.A. Social Welfare, B.A. Psychology

I was born and raised in Iraq, which ignited a passion in me to later return and help tackle some of the country’s most pressing issues. However, as I advanced in my education and gained more experience, I realized Iraq’s issues are more complex and systemic than I initially thought, urging me to become more civically engaged. My education at the UW provides me with these civic learning opportunities so that I may understand how to combat these problems in creative, innovative and productive ways. I understand that my goals will continue to evolve as I progress in my education, but I am truly eager to see where my vibrant journey at the UW will take me, and how my experiences and knowledge will shape my career and myself.

We are thrilled to announce that students from our school have been often recognized in the Husky 100. Here are our students recognized over the last few years.

SSWCJ First Gen Students 2024-25

UW Tacoma takes pride in serving students who are the first in the family to attend college. Here are two SSWCJ students who were selected to represent UW Tacoma as First Generation students in 2024-25.

Ana K. Apreza

Criminal Justice student

"I know that pursuing my education makes my parents so proud, and that means the world to me. It’s nice to know that as a first gen, there is a community that can relate and understand what it means to represent something so important."

Heather M. Spaleny

Social Welfare student

“I draw strength from the memory of my father, whose legacy inspires me to persevere. My friends and family play a critical role, lifting me up during challenging times and celebrating my successes with me."

Students in the news

Andre Henderson, Governor's Student Civic Leadership Award

Andre Henderson is the recipient of the 2022 Governor's Student Civic Leadership Award. In this video, he recaps his experience as a formerly-incarcerated student and his journey to becoming a student leader.